Air conditioning system



Nov. 22, 1938. WF RD 2,137,769

AIR CONDITIONING; SYSTEM Original Filed July 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hanna/5x97 rap (GA/W904i. mg 6/ /6417;

IN CUBA T92. 302 28 5 8 6 ezomse 45 F' i I l YC UBflTO Q c 308 awe/who e 3/l I/fA TEE Nov. 22, 1938. R B, CRAWFORD 2,137,769

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM I Original Filed July 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,137,769 AIR connrrrome srsrau noun B. 1. Crawford, Washington, D. 0., assignor to Frick Company, Waynesboro, Pa... a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application July 5, 1929, Serial No. 375,952; Divided and this application July 17, 1937, Serial No. 154,316

1o Claims. (01'. 251-1) This application is a division'of my copending application Ser. No. 375,952, filed July 1929, and relates to systems for incubating, hatching and brooding, and more particularly to such, sys- 5 tems including apparatus for maintaining satisfactory psychrometric conditions therein.

The invention contemplates generally the maintaining of proper, predetermined psychrometric (temperature and/or humidity) condivide an enclosure, the air within which, is to be maintained at both the proper temperature and humidity conditions, by the utilization of air temperature changing means and air humidity changing means.

Other objectsand the nature and advantagesof the invention will be apparent from-the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view partly broken away and partly shown in section of an embodiment of the invention wherein water is circulated directly through an enclosure for changing the temperature of the air therein,

Figure 2 is a similar view wherein means is shown to maintain the water (which is circulated through the enclosure to temper the air therein) at a higher temperature level Figure 3 is a modified form of the invention similar to Figure 2.

In Figure 1, I have illustrated an arrangement 4 of control system wherein a thermal transfer occurs within an enclosure, between water, air; or objects within the enclosure. The enclosure may be either an incubating, hatching or brooding chamber. For convenience of illustration, the air conditioned unit isrshown in spaced relation to the conditioned enclosure, such air condltioping unit being of any suitable construction and in a preferred form includes a spray apparatus. Preferably the spray apparatus of the air conditioning unit is arranged so that it can be connected in circuit with water passageways in the enclosure. and to this end the discharge from the pump P is conducted up through spray apparatus 8 and that portion of the water not projected from the spray nozzles is-conducted 5 to a pipe! extending to the enclosure. Here the water is circulated in contact with heat exchanging surfaces within'the enclosure, and this water is thence conveyed back through pipe 285 to the spray water tank or to the inlet of the 1 pump P. An automatic valve 286 is interposed in the pipe 2" and is controlled by a temperature control device T. Preferably this temperature control comprises a thermostat located within the enclosure or at a point to sense the tem- 15 perature therein. and connected to actuate a switch in such manner that when the temperature within the enclosure falls below a predeter-' mined point the valve 2" is energized and moved to open position. Thus, for winter or other rela- 2 tively cool climatic conditions, the circuit for the water will be through the air conditioning unit to the heat transfer surfaces in the enclosure and thence back to the air conditioning unit. 25

For summer or relatively warm weather operation, the water circuit is arranged to include a cooling tower CT. At suchtime the valve 288 will be closed and the water returning from the "enclosure will pass through pipe 281 to a 30 separate motor a driven pump 2" and thence through a continuation of the pipe 281 up to the spray nozzles in the cooling tower CT. The cooled water is conducted through pipe 289to the pipe I, in which it is conveyed back to the 35 heat exchange surfaces in the enclosure. Interposed in the pipe 281, preferably on the inlet side of the pump 2, is an automatic valve 2!! which is responsive to the other side of the temperature control device '1'. That is to say, 40

when the temperature within the enclosure rises above apredetermined point, the control switch 'T completes a circuit to energize the valve 29], thereby resulting in the water circulation being radiant heat from the eggs, or such .enclosure may be a brooding chamber, in which case this water absorbs the heat emitted from the bodies of the chicks.

- The heat thus absorbed by the water will, under most conditions, avoid the necessity of heating the spray water inthe air conditioning unit when the water circulation is through pipe line 205. This absorbed heat may be utilized in a dry air heater or thesimplest and most elementary type such as an ordinary closed coil over which air to be heated and conducted to the enclosure may be passed or in a heater of the open type wherein relatively hot water may directly contact the air to be heated and conducted to the enclosure in the spray water tank, if desired. The dry air heater and the open contact heater, not shown, are of the ordinary type common in the art and for which, per so, no novelty is claimed. In passing through the enclosure, the water may be circulated through hollow walls lining the enclo sure or through coils or other heat absorbing surfaces. As illustrative of one method of circulating the water through an incubating or hatching enclosure, I have illustrated a series of superposed hollow shelves or trays 203 on which the eggs E are supported. Each shelf 20! comprises upper and lower spaced walls defining a chamber 203' therebetween, through which the water is circulated. The water entering through pipe I is conducted through a header 2 communicating with each of the chamber areas 203. Connecting with the other ends of these chamber areas is a header 2" which conducts the heated water to the two pipe lines Ill and 201. The construction shown also comprises a novel method of circulating the air through the enclosure. Extending horizontally between adjacent shelves 203 are partitions or bafiles 206. Each partition is joined at one end with th shelf directly above it through a vertical end wall 201, and at the opposite end is joined with the shelf directlybelow it by an end wall 200. Such arrangement defines an air admission passage-.- way "I extending over each shelf, and an air discharge passageway 002 extending under each shelf. All of the air admission passageways communicate-witha manifold space or riser 303 into which "air is supplied from the conditioning unit, and all or the discharge passageways 302 communicate with a similar manifold space 304 at the opposite end of the enclosure, such latter manifold space connected to return the air to the conditioning unit.

Extending through each tray 203 are a plurality of air passages 305 for circulating the air from each admission passageway!" down through the shelf to the discharge passageway 302. Each of the passages may be constructed in the form of a sleeve or thimble or properly proportioned bore so that the air circulation will be uniformly distributed over the entire upper surface of the shelf, and these sleeves or thimbles may be thermally insulated from the metallic construction of the shelf or may be composed of heat insulating material. The eggs Emay each be placed in a separate compartment defined by the longi tudinal and transverse partitions 300 so as to prevent lateral fiow of air from'egg to egg. One of the passageways "I lead: down from each of the separate egg compartments. Tlfe eggs may be placed directly on the shelves 203, or may be supported in insulated plates or baskets resting. on such shelves.

It will be observed that the foregoing method in the heating of the air.

- embodiment.

.prevents the air from'carrying bacteria or contamination from one egg laterally to another. Moreover, it will be noted that any given portion of the air stream only passes through one layer or quantity of eggs, rather than down or up through'su'ccessive layers, such also avoiding contamination from egg to egg.

In Figure 2 I have illustrated a modified arrangement utilizing this water circulation through the enclosure. The 'water is circulated through hollow shelves, hollow walls or other heat absorbing surfaces in the enclosure, the circuit for this flow being completed outside of the. enclosure by a pipe 300 inwhich a circulating pump 809 is interposed.

A heat exchanger-or economizer 3 is interposed in the water and air circuits for bringing the water and air into heat transferring relation. Preferably this-heat exchanging device is disposed in the duct returning the conditioned air from the conditioning unit to the enclosure. Such device comprises any suitable arrangement of passages or coils with the water contacting one side of the heat transferring surface and the air the other. The heat picked up by the water from the eggs or chicks is transferred to the air stream at the economizing device 3| i so that the temperature of the air is raised with a consequent saving The electric heater 13, or such other heater as may be employed, is disposed in the return air duct between the economizing device 3 and the enclosure, such heater only supplying such additional heat as may be requiredto raise the air to the desired dry bulb temperature in the enclosure. This heater is automatically controlled by a temperature control apparatus T, as described 01 the preceding The conditioning unit, designated C, may be constructed in accordance with the disclosure of my copending application Ser. No.

375,952 filed July 5, 1929. Thewater passing through pipe 300 may circulate through hollow shelves, such as shelves 293 within the incubator (shown in Figure 1, if desired. Figure 3 illustrates another modification of the sure, which may be either an incubating, hatching or brooding enclosure.

The exhaust air is discharged from the enclosure through a discharge duct 3i5 which conveys such air toaninterchanger 3I6 in the inlet duct Ill. This interchanger may be of any suitable construction comprising a series of passageways with the exhaust air contacting with one side of a surface or surfaces and transferring its accumulated heat to the entering air contacting with the other side of said surface or surfaces. This exhaust air may be discharged to the atmosphere after passing through the interchanger 3 I 6. The water circulated through pipe 308 by the pump 30! may also be arranged to pass through an int'erchanger ill in the entering air duct 3, as previously described of Figure 2. The water circulated through the pipe 300 may be caused to pass through hollow partitions, walls, or through hollow shelves 201, as described in Figure 1. It will be seen that by the provision of the two heat interchanging devices 3| I and H6, substantially sarily limited to the duct 3, as either, or both,

of the interchangers 3| l and M6 may be arranged .to transfer heat to the air entering the conditioning unit through the fresh air intake 265 if desired. In the arrangement illustrated the interchangers 3H and MS may be transposed for placing the unit M6 on the air inflow side of the unit 3| I.

Such additional heat as it may be necessary to supply to the entering air may be obtained from, one or more heating units i3, 13'. In the arrangement illustrated, the heater I3 is interposed in theduct 3 at a point beyond the two'interchangers 3i l and M6 so that this heater will be in position to boost the air temperature beyond the temperature control apparatus T, whereby with a lowering of the temperature within the enclosure beyond a predetermined p'oint the heater 13' will be energized. When the heater "I3 is employed in the conditioning unit 0, it is electrically connected with contact 3l8 of this temperature control apparatus. Preferably these contacts are arranged so that the heater 13' will be first energized with a falling temperature, and thereafter the heater I3 will be energized if the temperature continues to fall, but this arrangement may be reversed if desired. 7 1 i It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims. I l b I claim: 1. An air conditioning system comprising an enclosure adapted to house bodies emitting some heat, a dehumidifier in said system in which air is conditioned with respect to its humidity and temperature, cooling means in said enclosure by which air is cooled, regulating means operable on the dehumidifier to effect a predetermined absolute humidity value of such air, temperature responsive regulating means for controlling the regulating means operable on the dehumidifier to efiect a predetermined absolute humidity value of said 'air, cooling means within said enclosure by I which air is cooled,'means for supplying said fluid spray means and said cooling means with cool fluid from a single source, temperature responsive means for controlling said cooling means, means for passing air from said dehumidifier to said enclosure, said cooling means being so associated with said'sy'stem as to have its surface temperature above the saturation temperature of the en-- tering air, whereby no condensation can occur on the cooling means, and said cooling means becomes efi'ective to absorb heat which may leak into or'be emitted by bodies-within the enclosure.

3. An air conditioning system comprising an enclosure adapted to house bodies emitting some heat, a dehumidifier in said system in which air is conditioned with respect to'its humidity, cooling means associated with said dehumidifier, regulating means operable on the dehumidifier to effect a predetermined absolute humidity value of said air, a second cooling means in said enclosure by which air is cooled, means for supplying said above the saturation temperature of the entering air.

4. An air conditioning system comprising an enclosure adapted to house bodies emitting some heat, a dehumidifier in said system in which air is conditioned with respect to its humidity and temperature, fluid means associated with said dehumidifier, cooling means insaid enclosure by which air is cooled, regulating means operable on the dehumidifier to efiect a predetermined absolute humidity value of such air, temperature responsive regulating means for controlling the cooling means, means for supplying said cooling means with a cooling fluid at a temperature not less than the temperature of the air about said cooling means, means 'for supplying cooling fluid to the fluid means associated with the dehumidifier and the cooling means in said enclosure from a single source, whereby no'condensation can occur on the cooling means, and said cooling.

humidifier, cooling means in said enclosure by which air is cooled, regulating means operable on the dehumidifier to eifect a predetermined absolute humidity value of such air, temperature responsive regulating means for controlling the cooling means, means for supplying said cooling means witha cooling fluid at a temperature not less than the temperature of the air about said cooling means, means including a pump for supplying cooling fluid to the fluid means associated with the dehumidifier and the cooling means in said enclosure from a single source, whereby no condensation can occur on the cooling means, and said cooling means becomes effective to absorb heat which may leak into or be emitted by bodies within the enclosure.

6. An air conditioning system comprising an enclosure adapted to house bodies emitting some heat, a dehumidifier in said system in which air is conditioned with respect to its humidity, cooling means associated with said dehumidifier, regulating means operable on the dehumidifier to' eifect a predetermined absolute humidity value of said air, a second cooling means having a cooling element in said enclosure by which air' is cooled, means for supplying said first cooling means and said secondcooling means with cooling fluid from a single source, temperature responsive regulating means for controlling the second cooling effect a predetermined absolute humidity value of said air, a second cooling means having a cooling element in said enclosure by which air is cooled, means for supplying said flrst cooling means and said second cooling means with cooling from a single source, temperature responsive regulating means for controlling the second cooling means, means for passing air from said dehumidifier to said enclosure, said second cooling means being so associated with said system as to have its surface temperature above'the saturation temperature of the entering air. a

8. An air conditioning system comprising an enclosure adapted to house bodies emitting some heat, a dehumidifier in said system in which air is conditioned with respect tov its humidity, cooling means in said enclosure by which air is cooled, regulating means operable on the dehumidifier to eflfect a predetermined absolute humidity value of such air, temperature responsive regulating means sorb heat which may leak into or be emitted bybodies within the enclosure.

of said air, cooling means within said enclosure by which air is cooled, conduit means and pump means for supplying said fluid spray means and said .cooling means with cool fluid from a single source, a valve in said conduit means, temperature responsive means for controlling said valve,

means for passing airfrom said dehumidifier to said enclosure, saidcooling means being so associated with said system as to have its surface temperature above the saturation temperature of the entering air, whereby no condensation can occur on the cooling means, and said cooling means becomes effective to absorb heat which may leak into or be emitted by bodies within the enclosure.

10. An air conditioning system comprising an enclosure, a dehumidifier in said system in which air is conditioned with respectto its humidity, cooling means in said enclosure by which air is cooled, regulating means operable on the dehumidifler to effect a predetermined absolute humidity value oi! such air, temperature responsive regulating means for controlling the coolingv 

